Cake-turner



No. 625,934. Patented May 30, I899. E. D. MIUDLEKAUFF.

CAKE TURNER.

(Application filed Aug. 18, 1898.}

(No Model.)

THE NORRIS swans ca, Pumomfia. WASNINGYONlQ c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ELLSWORTII D. MIDDLEKAUFF, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGN OR TO WILLIAM D. BOWEN, OF FRESNO, CALIFORNIA.

CAKE-TU RN ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 625,934, dated May 30, 1899.

Application filed August 18, 1898. Serial No. 688,548. (No model-J T0 at whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELLSWORTH D. MIDDLE- KAUFF, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of San Francisco and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cake= Turners; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompa nying drawings,and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to cake-turners; and it consists in the cheap, simple, and strong construction hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claim appended.

In the annexed drawings, Figure l is a View of the rear or under side of myimproved caketurner. Fig. 2isaside View of the same. Fig. 3 is a detached side View of the rock-shaft, thumb-lever, and catch. Fig. 4is an end view of the same.

Similar figures of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views.

The body 1 and its attendant parts are cut from sheet metal in one piece, the front end being slightly convex and its face being flat. Near the center, at either side of said body 1, an arm 2, having the shoulders 3, extends therefrom, having been cut from the sheet metal with the body 1, thereby forming one piece and obviating the liability of the parts loosening, as when made of a plurality of parts. The shoulders 3 are bent rearwardly, forming right angles to the body 1, and the arms 2 are bent at their junctions with the shoulders 3, so as to be in a general line parallel with the rear face of the body 1. The said arms 2 are of that specific length which enables the free ends thereof to meet midway between the shoulders 3. Such arms 2 are twisted in reverse directions, each being twisted one-half a turn. An operating-handle 4 is composed of spring metal and fashioned into a U shape.

The ends of said handle 4 have each a slot 11 cut transversely therein, which slots 11 are adapted to receive the said arms 2 therein.

A rock-shaft 5 is journaled on the underside of one arm of the handle 4 by means of lugs 6, riveted to the side of the same. On the lower end of the rock-shaft 5 a catch 7, having a shoulder 8 attached upon the outer end thereof, is rigidly attached, said catch being adapted to, engage with the edge of the body 1 and being held in engagement with the same by means of a fiat spring 9, attached to the side of the handle 4. The upper end of the rockshaft 5 has a thumb-lever 10 extending at right angles therefrom, said lever 10 being at a point near where the thumb of the operator is placed for operation.

The mode of operating my improved caketurner is as follows: The operator grasps the handle 4 in his right hand and inserts the body 1 beneath the cake. Then he presses his thumb against the lever 10, which by means of the rock-shaft 5 releases the catch 7 from engagement with the side of the body 1. Simultaneously with the release of the catch 7 the inner ends of the handle 4 are pressed together, whereupon the body 1 and the cake thereon are turned the reverse side up by reason of the twisted arms 2 engaging with the slots 11 in the ends of the handle. The handles 4 are allowed to expand, whereupon the body is brought back to its normal position, and the catch 7 engages with the side of the body 1 and holds the same in rigid position until the body is inserted beneath a second cake, whereupon the lever 10 is pressed and the modus operandi is repeated.

I am well aware that cake-turners have been constructed which comprise a body operated by a twisted arm, and that feature I do not claim broadly; but

What I do claim as new, and desire to se= cure by Letters Patent, is

In the cake-turner described, the body 1 formed of sheet metal and having the integral, angular shoulders 3 and the integral twisted arms 2 extending inwardly from the shoulders pinging against the catch 7 0f the rock-shaft, 1o 3 and meeting at their inner ends, the U- substantially as specified.

shaped, spring-handle also formed of sheet In testimony whereof I aflix my signature metal and having slots in its arms loosely rein presence of two Witnesses.

5 ceiving the arms 2 of the body, the rock-shaft Y H 5 journaled in hearings on one arm of the han- ORTH MIDDLLRAUI (lle and having; the thumb-piece 10 at its up- \Vitnesses: per end and the catch 7 at its lower end, and JAMES T. SUMMERVILLE,

the spring 9 connected to the handle and im- MOLBRY HAYNES. 

